Violet and ultraviolet illumination device configured with a gallium and nitrogen containing laser source

Abstract

A light source system or apparatus configured with an infrared illumination source includes a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode based white light source. The light source system includes a first pathway configured to direct directional electromagnetic radiation from the gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode to a first wavelength converter and to output a white light emission. In some embodiments infrared emitting laser diodes are included to generate the infrared illumination. In some embodiments infrared emitting wavelength converter members are included to generate the infrared illumination. In some embodiments a second wavelength converter is optically excited by a UV or blue emitting gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode, a laser diode operating in the long wavelength visible spectrum such as a green laser diode or a red laser diode, by a near infrared emitting laser diode, by the white light emission produced by the first wavelength converter, or by some combination thereof. A beam shaper may be configured to direct the white light emission and an infrared emission for illuminating a target of interest and transmitting a data signal. In some configurations, sensors and feedback loops are included.

1 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A light source configured for visible light emission and violet or ultraviolet (UV) emission, the light source comprising:
 a nitrogen containing laser diode configured to provide the violet or UV emission as a first pump-light device;   the nitrogen containing laser diode comprising an optical cavity, the optical cavity comprising an optical waveguide region and one or more facet regions;   the nitrogen containing laser diode configured to output the violet or UV emission as directional electromagnetic radiation through at least one of the facet regions;   the directional electromagnetic radiation from the nitrogen containing laser diode characterized by a first peak wavelength;   a first wavelength converter optically coupled to a pathway to receive the directional electromagnetic radiation from the first pump-light device, wherein the first wavelength converter is configured to convert at least a fraction of the directional electromagnetic radiation with the first peak wavelength to at least a second peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength and to generate the visible light emission as a white-color emission comprising at least the second peak wavelength; and   the violet or UV emission for use in purification, cleaning or disinfection applications.   
     
     
         25 . The light source of  claim 24  further comprising an infrared emitting laser diode to provide an infrared emission, the infrared emitting laser diode configured to output an electromagnetic radiation characterized by a third peak wavelength in the infrared region. 
     
     
         26 . The light source of  claim 24  wherein the violet or UV emission is in a UV wavelength range of 270 nm to 390 nm or a violet wavelength range of 390 nm to 425 nm. 
     
     
         27 . The light source of  claim 24  further comprising a beam shaper configured to direct the visible light emission and the violet or UV emission for illuminating a target of interest. 
     
     
         28 . The light source of  claim 24  wherein the nitrogen containing laser diode is a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode emitting the first peak wavelength in a UV wavelength region of 270 nm to 390 nm or a violet wavelength region of 390 nm to 420 nm. 
     
     
         29 . The light source of  claim 24  wherein the first wavelength converter is characterized by a reflective mode operation such that the directional electromagnetic radiation with the first peak wavelength from the first pump-light device is incident on an excitation surface of the first wavelength converter, and wherein a primary emission of the second peak wavelength is emitted from the excitation surface of the first wavelength converter, or wherein the first wavelength converter is characterized by a transmissive mode operation such that the directional electromagnetic radiation with the first peak wavelength from the first pump-light device is incident on an excitation surface of the first wavelength converter, and a primary emission of the second peak wavelength from the first wavelength converter is emitted from an emission surface on an opposite side of the first wavelength converter from the excitation surface. 
     
     
         30 . The light source of  claim 24  wherein the first wavelength converter is comprised of a phosphor material, and wherein the phosphor material is comprised of a ceramic yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) doped with Ce, or a single crystal YAG doped with Ce, or a powdered YAG comprising a binder material. 
     
     
         31 . The light source of  claim 24  further comprising a package member configured with a common support member, wherein the package member is a surface mount device (SMD) package and the common support member is configured from a base of the SMD package. 
     
     
         32 . The light source of  claim 24  further comprising a package member configured with a common support member, wherein the package member is selected from a TO can type, a flat package type, or a butterfly type. 
     
     
         33 . The light source of  claim 24  wherein the visible light emission with at least the second peak wavelength is coupled into an optical fiber member, or wherein the violet or UV light emission with the first peak wavelength is coupled into an optical fiber, or wherein both the visible light emission with at least the second peak wavelength and the violet or UV light emission with the first peak wavelength are coupled into an optical fiber member, wherein the optical fiber member is a single mode fiber (SMF) or a multi-mode fiber (MMF), and wherein the optical fiber has a core diameter ranging from about 1 um to 10 um, about 10 um to 50 um, about 50 um to 150 um, about 150 um to 500 um, about 500 um to 1 mm, about 1 mm to 5 mm or greater than 5 mm. 
     
     
         34 . The light source of  claim 33  wherein the optical fiber includes at least one of a transport fiber or a leaky scattering fiber. 
     
     
         35 . The light source of  claim 24  further comprising one or more sensors and a controller to provide an input signal to the light source, wherein the one or more sensors are configured in a feedback loop circuit to provide a feedback current or voltage to the controller to adjust brightness of the visible light emission and/or the violet or UV emission. 
     
     
         36 . The light source of  claim 24  configured to provide the purification, cleaning, or disinfection applications for hospitals, schools, restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, offices, homes, automobiles, or aircraft. 
     
     
         37 . A light source configured for visible light emission and violet or ultraviolet (UV) emission, the light source comprising:
 a nitrogen containing laser diode configured as a first pump-light device;   the nitrogen containing laser diode comprising an optical cavity, the optical cavity comprising an optical waveguide region and one or more facet regions;   the nitrogen containing laser diode configured to output first directional electromagnetic radiation through at least one of the facet regions;   the first directional electromagnetic radiation from the nitrogen containing laser diode characterized by a first peak wavelength;   a first wavelength converter optically coupled to a pathway to receive the first directional electromagnetic radiation from the first pump-light device, wherein the first wavelength converter is configured to convert at least a fraction of the first directional electromagnetic radiation with the first peak wavelength to at least a second peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength and to generate the visible light emission as a white-color emission comprising at least the second peak wavelength;   a violet or UV emitting laser diode to provide the violet or UV emission, the violet or UV emitting laser diode configured to output a second directional electromagnetic radiation characterized by a third peak wavelength; and   the violet or UV emission for use in purification, cleaning, or disinfection applications.   
     
     
         38 . The light source of  claim 37  wherein the nitrogen containing laser diode is a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode emitting the first peak wavelength in a blue wavelength region of 420 nm to 480 nm. 
     
     
         39 . The light source of  claim 37  wherein the first wavelength converter is configured to provide the visible light emission in a reflective mode such that the first directional electromagnetic radiation is incident on an excitation surface of the first wavelength converter and the excitation surface is a primary emission surface of the visible light emission, or wherein the first wavelength converter is configured to provide the visible light emission in a transmissive mode such that the first directional electromagnetic radiation is incident on the excitation surface of the wavelength converter and the visible light emission is emitted from an emission surface on an opposite side of the first wavelength converter from the excitation surface. 
     
     
         40 . A system comprising:
 a light source configured for visible light emission and violet or ultraviolet (UV) emission for use in purification, cleaning or disinfection applications;   a package configured to enclose the light source, the light source comprising:
 a nitrogen containing laser diode configured as a first pump-light device; 
 the nitrogen containing laser diode comprising an optical cavity, the optical cavity comprising an optical waveguide region and one or more facet regions; 
 the nitrogen containing laser diode configured to output directional electromagnetic radiation through at least one of the facet regions; 
 the directional electromagnetic radiation from the nitrogen containing laser diode characterized by a first peak wavelength; and 
 a first wavelength converter optically coupled to a pathway to receive the directional electromagnetic radiation from the first pump-light device, wherein the first wavelength converter is configured to convert at least a fraction of the directional electromagnetic radiation with the first peak wavelength to at least a second peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength and to generate the visible light emission as a white-color emission comprising at least the second peak wavelength. 
   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the nitrogen containing laser diode is a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode emitting a first peak wavelength in a UV wavelength region of 270 nm to 390 nm or a violet wavelength region of 390 nm to 420 nm. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the nitrogen containing laser diode is a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode emitting the first peak wavelength in a blue wavelength region of 420 nm to 480 nm. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the first wavelength converter is configured to provide the visible light emission in a reflective mode such that the directional electromagnetic radiation is incident on an excitation surface of the first wavelength converter and the excitation surface is a primary emission surface of the visible light emission, or wherein the first wavelength converter is configured to provide the visible light emission in a transmissive mode such that the directional electromagnetic radiation is incident on the excitation surface of the wavelength converter and the visible light emission is emitted from an emission surface on an opposite side of the first wavelength converter from the excitation surface.